Nikole Beda
(Director)

DIRECTOR’S NOTES

Nikole had her directorial debut in February 2020 with Reefer Madness (also written by Joe Landry) with Paris Performers' Theatre in Paris, Ontario Canada.

As an out-of-festival submission for The Western Ontario Drama League, Reefer Madness was nominated for six awards: Best Lead Actor (Male), Best Supporting Actor (Female), Best Supporting Actor (Male), Most Promising Newcomer, Best Costumes and Best Ensemble, taking home the award for Best Ensemble.

With COVID-19, our theatre seasons across the nation hit a wall and we all found ourselves all desperately looking for a project to work on. In chatting with Joe, he sent me a couple of his scripts to look at, and one of them was Eve & Co. I sent it to our President and resident stage manager, Terri, and we immediately fell in love with it and could envision making this happen while maintaining social distancing.

By choosing to do a monologue show, we were able to have everyone join in Zoom rehearsals from their own homes, and regardless of when things started to open up, this would still be something we can bring to life online.

We have a wildly talented cast from all over the area (and beyond!). This pandemic has offered us the opportunity to work with people we'd never otherwise get to work with, and while we've missed out on actually getting together for rehearsals, this experience has been so unique and still a lot of fun. I want to thank everyone who joined in this process and put their faith in me while we explored this strange new way of doing live theatre. And a big thank you to everyone who tunes in to watch our show and to those who are able to support us with a small donation. 

I'm really looking forward to getting to work with ALL of these people again, including my new friends south of the border!

Jessica O’Connor
(The Experiment)

Jessica misses the community and friendships of theatre, but this has been a great substitute and a fun, unique experience to be part of. Jessica has done several shows with Paris Performers, most recently as Annie in Bare Bear Bones. Thank you for supporting local theatre and this cast!

Deanna Stevens
(The Virgin)

Deanna is an award-winning actress born and raised in Brantford. At 19, she lost her mother, her biggest fan, and took a 10 year hiatus from anything performance related. Her return to community theatre was playing Catherine in PPT's production of Waiting for the Parade, and they haven't been able to get rid of her since! Some of her favourite roles over the last 6 seasons include: Cora in Calendar Girls (Stage 88), Lenore in Whole Lotto Love (SLT), Constance in Good Night Desdemona, Good Morning Juliet (SLT), and, most recently, Ellen in Five Alarm (PPT). Deanna is most excited and proud to be a part of such an amazing and talented group of cast and crew that, under normal circumstances, she might not have the chance to work with. It has been an absolute pleasure! Enjoy!

Jessica Tutin
(The Young Lover)

Jessica Tutin is thrilled to be part of her first ever production with Paris Performers’ Theatre. She has loved working with the amazing cast and crew of Eve & Co. It has been so meaningful to still have an outlet to perform in during this difficult time and has loved being part of this very unique experience. Jessica has had a wide range of theatre experience. Previously, Jessica was in R & J Theatrics’ live radio play performances of Dracula as Mina Harker and It’s a Wonderful Life as Mary Bailey-Hatch. She was also in many other productions such as Nana’s Naughty Knickers (SLT), Meanwhile Back on the Couch (SLT), The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (Whimsical Players), and Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death (Ichthys Theatre Productions). Jessica hopes you enjoy these powerful, impactful, and sometimes comedic performances of amazing female characters both fictional and non-fictional.

Deb Dagenais
(The 16th First Lady)

How wonderful that we can get together through technology to share in our creative passion during this time of isolation. Deb can usually be found on Hamilton and area stages and feels fortunate to reach out to Paris farther a field. Some past credits include M’Lyn in Steel Magnolias, Ruth in Blythe Spirit, Various in Love, Loss and What I Wore, Annie in Calendar Girls, Ivy in August Osage County, Kate in Sylvia, Ethyl in On Golden Pond and Miss Marple in A Murder is Announced. But her favourite role of all time was playing Peter Gruner’s wife in his award winning The Lost Years …and in real life.

Laura Almeida
(The American Housewife)

A Brantford, Ontario resident and an avid lover of community theatre, with previous performances at the Sanderson Centre, Bell Homestead, Casa Loma, and K.W. Little Theatre. Laura is also an extreme policy wonk (i.e. dork) who reads legislation for fun. If you’re looking for Laura around town, she can often be found curled up with a book, power walking with an overflowing iced coffee, or screaming into the void. (Please leave her be, she’ll be fine).

Kelly Kimpton
(The 35th First Lady)

Kelly is thrilled to be working with Paris Performers for the first time and thankful to be a part of such an exciting opportunity to perform during these challenging times. Past credits include Maureen in The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Cora in Calendar Girls, Clairee in Steel Magnolias and Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire. Thank you to Nikole, Joe and the team for striving to bring the arts to all of us who are missing live theatre.

Rose Huysentruyt-Closs
(The Assassin)

Rose is back with Paris Performers. This production looks totally different and the process has been a learning experience. The success of any show depends on the backstage. This is exceptionally true with Eve & Co. Thank you to Nikole our fearless director, Rich her assistant director and the most awesome stage manager Terri. Hope you enjoy the show as much as we have had in performing it.

Jessica Hamilton
(The Superhero)

Jessica has been involved in community theatre in Brantford and the surrounding area for 15 years. She enjoys all aspects of theatre but specifically the technical aspects of lighting, sound and media. Most recently she directed ICHTHYS Theatre’s production of House for Sale in June 2019 which was her second directing endeavour. Her favourite on-stage roles have been playing Kate in The Taming of the Shrew and God in Coffee With God. This is Jessica’s second production with Paris Performers Theatre. She also keeps busy as the President of the Brant County Singers and spends her days teaching math to teenagers which is always an enjoyable challenge.

Marissa Kate Wilson
(The Princess)

Marissa is excited to be working with Paris Performers on Eve and Co. Born and raised in Brantford, Ontario, Marissa started performing at a young age and was heavily involved in The Cobblestone Festival in Brant County for many years as well as the Kiwanis Music Festival and other local community productions. A member of the Canadian Actor’s Union ACTRA, she feels blessed to be working as a professional actress in “Hollywood North”. TV/Film roles include the Emmy award winning show The Handmaid’s Tale, American Gods, and CBC’s special mini-series Canada: A Story of Us. Theatre roles include starring in such productions as The Drowsy Chaperone, Jesus Christ Superstar, Dracula, and Oklahoma! Marissa is also Co-Owner/Producer/Music Director etc. of local theatre company Playful Fox Productions, which together with her husband Malakai Fox, specializes in Radio Dramas, large-scale epic plays, and musicals, such as last year’s very successful production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Thank you and a big shout out to Nikole, Terri, Rich, Joe and the rest of the cast and crew for adapting so well to this new way of doing theatre during this unprecedented time. Special thank you to her parents, Brian and Valerie, and her wonderful husband Kai.

Susan Eckerle
(The Knife Thrower)

Susan’s home theatre is the NAGs Players in Toronto, Ontario, where recent credits include Dr. Tracey Lake in Night Watch and the Mother of the King of the Tangled Wood in Camelot the (virtual!) Panto. She is grateful for the experiences granted by quarantine, including experiments with virtual performance spaces and the opportunity to work with a new company in the Paris Performers’ Theatre.

Shari Vandermolen
(The Intern)

Shari is an award-winning performer living in the Niagara region. Some of her favourite theatrical experiences include playing Mama Rose in Gypsy, Edie Beale in Grey Gardens and Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard – all with Hammer Entertainment. She would like to thank Paris Performers for their imagination and passion in putting this show together, the talented cast and crew, and playwright Joe Landry for the engaging content. Shari is also a jazz and blues vocalist – you can find her debut album on most streaming platforms including iTunes and Spotify (website: www.Q29.ca)

Stephanie Settle
(The Tomboy)

Stephanie has been performing in community theatre since childhood, with previous roles including Prospero in The Tempest, Crissy in Hair and Shelley in Evil Dead: The Musical.  When she’s not confined to her house by a global pandemic, she’s usually working on her PhD at the University of Guelph.  Currently, she spends most of her time playing Animal Crossing instead, where she can live out the unrealistic fantasies of owning property and going outside.

Linda Lloyd-McKenzie
(The Perfectionist)

Linda jumped at the chance to be able to participate in a Paris Performers' show again, after having relocated to the vast wastelands of Bruce County, Ontario. You may remember her from other performances in PPT shows: On A First Name Basis, The Heiress and Love, Loss and What I Wore; or from her directing: Jenny's House of Joy, I'll Be Back Before Midnight and Harvest. Linda would like to thank Nikole and the whole production team for making this a truly fun and unique experience during these very unprecedented times.

April Lichtman
(The Misfit Superstar)

April is making her Paris Performers Theatre debut. She hails from Connecticut and is a junior BFA Acting major at UConn. Previous theatre credits include: Much Ado About Nothing (Leonato), Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. (Various) - 2020 Kennedy Center College Theatre Festival nominated production, Antigone (Antigone). In August, she will be playing Mistress Ford in Merry Wives of Windsor for the Hawaii Shakespeare Festival. Keep up with April at sites.google.com/view/aprile and give her a follow on instagram @feelinglikeapril

Joe Landry
(Playwright)

Joe’s plays include It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, Reefer Madness, Vintage Hitchcock: A Live Radio Play, Fake News!, The War of the Worlds: The Panic Broadcast, Hollywood Babylon, Numb and Relationship Status. Joe attended Playwright's Horizons/NYU, founded Second Guess Theatre Company and has taught playwrighting at Sacred Heart University. www.joelandry.com

Terri-Lynn Graham
(Stage Manager)

Terri has been with PPT for the past 8 years as resident stage manager and using her degree very well!! She loves the idea of doing different types of shows with new media to allow those who might not normally be able to come out to the theatre to join in, and to push the boundaries of what normal theatre is. Thank you so much for joining the PPT team for this powerful performance from some very incredible women, and thank you so much Joe Landry for allowing PPT to once again put an amazing play of his on stage and allowing Nikole to create such a visually enticing piece. Enjoy the show!!

Richard Dallaway
(Assistant Director)

Richard has been a part of Paris Performers as an actor, a technician, and now as a board member, and is delighted to be a part of this new offering! As we move torward a post-Covid theatrical world, Richard is excited to help find new and fun ways to give you the great entertainment Paris Performers has become known for, and hopes you'll enjoy Eve &Co's tremendous cast, and keep an eye out for exciting things to come!

Duncan Graham
(Producer / Costumes)

Growing up backstage and on stage, Duncan has always enjoyed the costume and set design part of theatre. Over the past few years Duncan has been able to design several sets and costumes for both Paris Performers Theatre (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) and Whimsical players (Alice in Wonderland, The Nutcracker, Swan Princess). This is Duncan’s first virtual production which will hopefully be the first of many. Being able to work one on one with all the cast to find the perfect look has been so much fun. Great job everyone! You all look fantastic.